The Great Adventure
by Midgeisshortformidget
Summary: A college grad follows her dreams and travels to Europe, where she meets the man of her dreams.
1. Prologue

_Hello my dear readers! I sincerely hope you enjoy this fanfic. Just letting you know that I'm a beginner at this so please bear with me, I will try to keep punctuation and grammar at the best of my abilities and any feedback, tips, comments concerns or whatever will be greatly appreciated just like my story or follow my tumblr and I'll follow you back!Also for the first few chapters the content will be pg-13 and later on will be 18+ content. _

I finally did it. It took two years of extensive planning and budgeting, but I finally made it. I missed a lot of girls' nights and parties but it was all worth it now. Two years ago is when it all started, it was a week before I started my first semester in college. I was so excited to finally be leaving high school and start a new path. Now I wasn't the little kid that no one took seriously,I was 4 months away from being a consented adult and I was finally becoming an independent woman. I went to my campus of Westminster College a week before classes started to get registered and some school supplies. As I was getting my school ID photo taken, I saw a book at one of the information booths. It was a small book, about 10-15 pages long and was titled " SWAP: Working Abroad"* It seemed to peek my interest so I took a copy and quickly leafed through the pages and it seemed like a solid deal. The idea of the program was for students or young adults to sign up and choose a destination in Europe or other parts in the world to work,live and play for about a year or two. All my life, my dream had been to travel to world and explore the countries' cultures and landscapes. So I decided to save up my money so I could go on this trip, I met a financial adviser and a travel agent to help me get on this journey and now two years later I made it. Here I was at Pierre Trudeau Airport waiting for my 6am flight to London, England to start boarding passengers. All my family and friends were here to bid me goodbye and ensure I leave safely. My mother was next to me , stroking my hair softly, " Make sure you stay safe out there honey, don't talk to weirdos and make sure you call home to tell us you're okay. We're going to miss you dear." "Thanks,Mom" I said. I appreciated the fact that my family weren't an overemotional bunch and didn't make a huge scene as I left, my best friends Liz and Marie on the other hand weren't so non-nonchalant hell, they were a blubbering mess. "Make sure you call us everyday OK?! And get a boyfriend I'm tired of seeing you single!" Liz sobbed. I blushed slightly then rolled my eyes, "Don't worry guys, we'll talk everyday alright? love you guys" We all embraced in a group hug. After 45 minutes of tears, heart to heart conversations and eye-rolling it was time for me to board my plane, as I walked through the entrance of the plane I felt my emotions start to sink in and a lump begin to develop in my throat._ Crap. _Trying not to get attention, I trotted to my seat. Luckily, I had a window seat so I couldn't be bothered by other passengers. While I sat in my seat, I finally let my emotions started to well up in my eyes, tears of joy and fear. Even though, I was ecstatic about leaving the country and starting something new, I feared for the uncertainty of my future and how I would fit in when I got to London. Just as I was putting on my seat belt and the plane started to drive onto the runway, I saw my family and friends wave goodbye at me through the window I waved back weakly._ God, I'm really going to miss them_. The plane started to pick up speed and take off, I took a deep cleansing breath to relax my overactive nerves. _This will be fun, this will be an adventure._

_End of Prologue_

*SWAP is an actual program, just want to give credits for this program to fuel my story.


	2. Chapter 1

**The Great Adventure: Chapter 1**

The sound of a distant voice came from the darkness. _"Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seat belts; we will be landing in London, England shortly." _ I groggily opened my eyes; I've been sleeping on the plane for 8 hours. I checked my cell phone for the time, it was 3pm in Canadian time._ I got to remember to change my times. _In the UK, their time was 5 hours ahead of us. I lazily stretched in my seat, relinquishing any tension left in my muscles, my feet felt swollen and numb. Getting out of the plane will be hell, I looked out my window to see how close we were and I was astounded by the view. I saw fields of green bordered by rocks and the tantalizing sea. Every mountain was curved beautifully and the landscape seemed to just flow together. The sun had set and the clouds turned a deep purple. It must've been evening over here or close to night. As the plane began to descend onto the runway, my heart began to race with excitement and my muscles began to tense from anticipation to what lies ahead of these airplane doors. The plane landed with a soft _thump _and started to cruise to a stop, I got up and collected my things and walked into the airport. The place was huge, hundreds of people walking this way and that way; it made my 5 foot frame feel about 2 inches tall. With my SWAP guidebook intact, I went to the baggage claim to find my travel guide. At the baggage claim stood a tall girl in a blue pants suit and a short ponytail, she looked to be in her early forties. "Hi, I'm Lisa and are you Anya?" said the blonde in a bubbly and clearly evident British accent. "Yes, I am." I smiled shyly. "So Anya, welcome to London! I hope your flight went smoothly. Well, as you may know I'm here to help you to your hostel and get you settled in for your first few days here." I nodded. She then proceeded to go on about what I have to prepare for now that I'm living here like transportation, communication and employment. As she talked, she helped me get my bags and flag down a taxi _Damn, she seems good at this. _The taxi came around the roundabout, its quick presence somewhat surprised me. The cab wasn't like the ones back home, this one was black and old-fashioned like the ones you see in movies, my face lit up. "I knew that you were very fond of coming here so I tried to make your experience here as authentic and as cultural as possible." Lisa gushed. I was overjoyed by Lisa's generosity "Thank you so much Lisa, I really appreciate it." We both got in the back of the cab; through the passenger window Lisa told the driver the address of the hostel. By then, it was dark the sun was long gone and the moon was hidden behind the clouds. During the drive, Lisa told me about herself and I to her Lisa worked for SWAP for over 15 years, she was born in London and has traveled most of the world. Her excited and bubbly demeanour made me smile. "Oh, here we are this is your hostel dear." Lisa said. She then paid the cab and we stood at the doorway of the hostel. Through the darkness I could make out a 3 storey house, it was tall and not very wide there was also a garden around the front of the yard. Lisa and I stepped into the building and there was a small receptionist desk with a stout, rosy cheeked man, around his fifties flipping through a magazine he then looked up and smiled. "Good night to you my dear, how may I help you?" "Hi, my name is Anya I registered here to stay with you guys for the year?" I said. "Oh yes, Anya Boride is that correct?" I nodded. "Well welcome Anya, my name is Fred and my wife Jillian also works here. We both own the hostel but she's asleep right now… he rolled his eyes petulantly, but on that other note we've been expecting you darling!" I smiled politely. "Well then Anya my job is done for tonight, here's my number get settled in then call me when you're ready to start looking for work or if you need help with anything. Goodnight!" Lisa exclaimed and then left out the door. "Well you must be exhausted Anya, here let me show you to your room. We can take a tour of the house tomorrow if you want." said Fred " Thank so much for your hospitality Fred, it means a lot to me" We went up a flight of narrow steps then turned right into a small hallway with a door at the end. He opened the door to find a room big enough for two people, there were two small beds at opposite sides of the room and on the left of the room was a window with a view of the street below. I then got my beddings, thanked Fred and prepared to go to sleep. Despite the fact that, I already slept 8 hours, I was dead beat tired. As my head hit the pillow my mind began to spin on all the new things that just happened then I slowly drifted off to a peaceful slumber.


	3. Chapter 2

The Great Adventure: Chapter 2 I awoke to light shining on my face; I stretched my arms and legs as I embraced the warmth on my skin. I opened my eyes and saw my room, now that light was shining in I could see it more clearly the room was pretty big and the walls were painted light green, the window had white trimmings and directly on the other side of the room was a neatly folded bed. I got up, fixed my sheets and went downstairs for breakfast. As I climbed down the steps I saw the receptionist desk with no one standing behind it but a note left on the table. _Dear Guests, my wife and I stepped out for the moment to get you some breakfast; we will return shortly Considerately, Fred and Jillian. _I checked the time on the desk; it was 7am my stomach rumbled hungrily_ Oh, shut up._ I thought. This would be a perfect time to tour the place myself. The hostel had a cozy feel to it; almost all the walls were painted a light green while the windows and stairs were white. After a quick look around, I went back to my room to get myself ready for today. Today, Lisa was going to help me set up a bank account, get myself a phone plan and get a SIN equivalent so I could work in London legitimately and, if I had time maybe I could go to a trendy coffee shop or something. I was getting more and more excited each moment, today was full of possibilities. I took a shower and washed my hair, I decided to wear a strapless navy blue and white polka dotted dress with a yellow cardigan my curly hair bounced as I put on my little black flats and headed down the stairs. As I came down the stairs, I saw that Fred and Jillian had returned with groceries. Jillian was unpacking her load of food while Fred was at the desk checking for messages on the phone. "Morning, my dear! Did you sleep alright?" exclaimed Fred. "I slept great thank you" I said "You have a very lovely home."

"Well thank you miss, now come downstairs and Jillian will fix you and the others some breakfast." Fred exclaimed. _The Others? I haven't seen anyone here yet. _ So I stepped into the kitchen and sat down at the table. At the table were 2 other girls one was tall with wavy blonde hair and tanned skin, the other was a shorter girl with pale skin, a wicked bob haircut and harlot red lipstick. "Hi, my name is Hana" said the blonde "And this is Sahara" Hana said pointing to the dark-haired girl, the girl blushed and smiled shyly. "She kind of doesn't say much but once you get to know her she will warm up to you." I nodded then introduced myself. As we were having breakfast, Hana told me she was a traveling student from Australia and Sahara finally spoke after almost an hour into conversation saying that she was from New Zealand but she hated it there and wanted to travel instead. After breakfast, we cleaned up our plates and the girls went to go get ready for work " Hey Anya, maybe we can all go out shopping sometime?" said Hana " That would be great, once I get my things sorted out then we'll go." I was beaming, it was my first day here and I loved it already. After a few minutes, I heard the door open and close and a second later Lisa's cheerful voice "Anya, where are you darling? We have loads of work to do!" "Oh, there you are" she then dragged me by my hand and we were out the door. She rushed me into the black cab and we headed into town. We went to the bank and then to a place called "the tube" which ended up being the subway and I got myself an oyster card for monthly passes. After our whole excursion was finished we were walking down the street and Lisa said "Well, now that we're done all the serious business what do you want to do?" "Well, if you don't mind I'd like to explore the town for a while on my own." I said quietly. I felt bad for wanting to ditch her but I wanted some alone time. "Alright my dear, just call me when you're done exploring and I'll bring you back to the house yeah?" I nodded "Good then, cheerio!" Lisa exclaimed then she left. I breathed a sigh of relief, now I can do something that I would like to do. I walked slowly down the street and I looked at the scenery, the town had a lot of thrift shops, cafes and bookstores. The streets were buzzing with people on their way to God knows where, after a couple of blocks I saw a little bookstore at the corner. It had white wooden walls and a flower pot full of lilies by the door so I decided to step in. The place was quite quaint, there was a basement and second floor, and there was a sign marked that the basement was for children books while the sign for the upstairs marked that it was for second-hand books, self- help books and magazines. I took a look around and saw a book that had all of Shakespeare's sonnets; I smiled and took a copy. Then when I went upstairs I saw a second-hand copy of _War Horse, _I didn't see the movie yet but I wanted to read the novel first so I also took a copy._ Hmm, maybe if I could find a movie rental store I could get War Horse and fangirl over Tom Hiddleston. _I went to the cash and paid for my two books, I walked down several blocks looking for a nice café to sit and read the books, after some time I saw a café called "Bar Italia". I went in and sat down in a booth by the window to read. When I sat down, I realized how tired I was, I had been walking almost all day. After a few minutes, I realized I haven't gone pee since this morning so I left my things by the booth but brought my _War Horse _book with me. I walked across the coffee shop to the bathrooms and I pushed open the door, with my nose in my book. As soon as I walked in I felt something was, off but I kept walking taking no notice until I bumped into someone. "Oh, I'm sorry" I said absentmindedly I then heard a slight gasp then a deep chuckle. I looked up from my book to see that I accidentally walked into the men's room and the man I bumped into was tall man about 6 feet with flawless cheekbones, ocean blue eyes and Gene Wilder black hair and he was smiling awkwardly at me. I felt time suddenly stop. _Holy Fuck, I just bumped into Tom Hiddleston._


	4. Chapter 3

**The Great Adventure: Chapter 3**

Time stopped as I looked at this beautiful man's face, he was so tall and only a moment later I realized that he was taking a piss in a urinal and reality set in. My face began to grow hot and heat radiated off my cheeks and ears, my heart was thumping madly. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" I blurted out loudly, my eyes instinctively wandered downwards and I hastily covered them with my hand before I embarrassed myself any further. I tried to stand up and walk away, and then my book fell._ Shit. _I quickly bent down again to get my book avoiding everyone's gaze in the process "Sorry" I mumbled. I picked up the book only to drop it again. _Jeez, is this really happening? Why me?!_ I started to curse under my breath before attempting to pick up my book again, my trembling fingers held on to the book long enough for me to stand up again and then it fell. _Screw this._ I finally decided in frustrated defeat to just leave the book there and with my eyes covered, I ran towards the door or at least I thought it was a door, I ended up running into a wall and falling back on the floor. I let out a slightly frustrated cry and with tears stinging my eyes, I got back up and open the door and ran out as quickly as I could. I ran into the ladies washroom and slammed open the stall door then shut it and locked it. As I sat on the toilet, I let the tears fall. I hadn't been in London for over 48 hours and I've already made myself the biggest dork in the country! I hugged my knees to my chest and sat there for a while, finally after some time I went pee, washed my hands and walked sulkily out the door._ The one time I meet my dream celebrity and I bump into him while he's peeing. Fucking brilliant Anya. _I stared at the floor as I began to walk out of the bathroom hallway and back to my table in shame, I heard someone clear their throat. "That was quite an interesting turn of events." Said a voice beside of me, the voice… sounded familiar and smooth like velvet or honey. I looked up to see Tom leaning by the wall with both hands behind his back, grinning at me. "Oh!" I jumped; I didn't expect him to be there especially after what just happened. I instinctively looked down at my feet, I was too mortified to look him in the eyes "I-I-I'm so sorry about what happened in there, I didn't see the sign and…" I started to mutter. Tom bent down slightly to look me in the eyes and said "it's quite alright, it happens to the best of us. I just came here to return your book." He then took his arms from behind his back and handed me my _War Horse _novel. I thanked him and took the book; he never took his eyes off me. I breathed in deeply and lifted my face and looked straight into his eyes. _Those ocean blue eyes… I could stare at them forever. Anyways, Anya do it, it's now or never! _"Sir, what I did was unacceptable and to give my apologies, I would like to buy you a coffee if you don't mind." I said firmly. I had to make amends with Tom somehow and if I'm lucky maybe we can talk for a little bit longer. "Oh, you don't have to do that" he said "No, I insist." I said. "Please, it would make me feel better." He shrugged his shoulders and smiled "If so, then I guess I have no choice." Together, we walked to the cash register, I bought myself some tea and I bought him a coffee, expecting nothing else after that, I walked back to my booth to read my book but to my surprise, he followed me to my seat and sat on the opposite side of the booth with a smile on his face. _This man really likes to smile. _Tom's face quickly turned into surprise _"_Oh, where are my manners! I'm so sorry! We haven't properly introduced ourselves." I smiled shyly. I'm the one who bumped into him while he was peeing and he's apologizing for not introducing himself. What a guy. "My name is Thomas Hiddleston but you can call me Tom and you are?" "Umm… My name is Anya, Anya Boride." I said timidly. Now that we were in the light, I could see Tom's face properly. He was gorgeous. He had a seductive bedhead type of hair and Gene Wilder curls, it was dyed back and looked wonderful. He had ocean blue eyes, eyes that I could get lost in for days and he had very sharp cheekbones and a strong jawline. Around his eyes were small wrinkles whenever he laughed or smiled and he had the cutest dimples I have ever seen. He was all in all gorgeous. "…..Here?" Tom said. I got so lost in his appearance that I hadn't realized that Tom was asking me a question, my face reddened at my realization. "Hmm, sorry could you repeat the question?" I said He chuckled softly. "I said what brings you over to London?" "Well, I just graduated from college and I didn't want to go to university right away so, I came here to travel and stuff." I smiled shyly, Tom was gazing at me intently, completed fascinated by my story. He then proceeded to ask why I chose London and how long I'm staying. We were having wonderful conversation and many laughs then I checked my watch, we've been talking for almost two hours. "Oh crap! Time just flew by, listen I have to go back to my hostel but I had a great time talking to you." I said nervously. I didn't want to leave, I wanted to stay in this moment forever but it was getting dark, and I needed to get back. "Oh, you do? You have to leave right now?" he said and I saw his smile fade ever so slightly. We sat in silence for a moment until I gave him my hand for a handshake and said "Thank you so much, Tom. I had a really nice time" A warm smile formed on his lips and his large hands shook mine. His giant hands were soft and warm as they engulfed my tiny hand. I stood up to leave and Tom looked at me longingly "It was great meeting you Anya; I hope you enjoy your stay here in London." I nodded at him "Thank you Tom, I hope I enjoy it here too." And with that, I left. As soon as I left I felt a pang of sadness, he was one of the most interesting people I've talked to, I felt a connection with him that I didn't feel with other guys. Yes, he was earth-shattering beautiful but there was more to him than that but now it's over, I will never see him again. I walked down the street for ten minutes until I realized I was lost. I had the address to my hostel but no way of getting there._ Ugh, great. I knew I should've brought a map with me. _I went walking in circles for about twenty minutes until a black taxi pulled up beside me. I looked at it quizzically and the back window rolled down and I saw what was in the cab, it was Tom. "Fancy meeting you again, do you need a lift? You look lost." Inside I was doing cartwheels, what are the chances that I would meet Tom Hiddleston again and he's offering me a lift?! I was beaming. "Sure!" I exclaimed. I giddily walked to the cab and sat inside. There two seats facing each other and I decided to sit directly in front of Tom. I gave the driver my address and then we were on the road. "Thank you so much, it's kind of funny that I get to see you again" I revealed. He smiled his beautiful smile and replied "Yes, I'm lucky enough to see you once more" he grinned. I looked out the cab window to look at the scenery, it was beautiful. The modern city of Soho with thrifty shops and coffeehouses morphed into a calm countryside with rolling hills and a wooden fence. As I looked out onto the horizon, I noticed at the corner of my eye Tom staring at me intently, he stared at me with a certain fixation and was rubbing his lips with his index finger._ Mm… _I felt a warmth start to develop between my legs and I squeezed my thighs together rapidly to smother the heat._ Relax yourself Anya, before you embarrass yourself again._ I took a deep cleansing breath and looked back at Tom; He was now texting on his IPhone. The cab pulled up in front of my hostel, from the outside it looked like some countryside cottage. Tom got out the car and gave me his hand to lead me out of the car and to the front door. When I reached the door I turned to him and I looked into his eyes, those beautiful eyes. Tom shifted his weight from foot to foot nervously "Listen Anya, I don't normally do this but would you like me to help you explore London? I mean, you need a real Londoner to show you the ropes and how we do things here and I would be more than happy to help." His sudden question shocked me and I gaped at him for a few seconds._ Tom is asking to hang out with you! So stop staring and say something! _"OH, yes of course that would be great actually." We then exchanged phone numbers and said our final goodbyes. "I have to run but Anya you have yourself a good night, I'll text you as soon as I'm free." He said with a smile and then he took my hand and bent down to kiss my knuckles gently. Every hair on my body stood up, I felt like an electric current just ran through me, my body heated up a few degrees and I blushed madly._ Whoa._ "Until next time, Anya. I look forward to seeing you again." I tried keeping my cool even though I was freaking out inside "Likewise." I said non-chalantly. I got to see his beautiful grin one more time until he turned around and walked back into his cab and disappeared down the street. I held on to the door framed to keep myself from collapsing, my legs felt like Jell-O. I couldn't believe my luck; I get a dream date with the most beautiful man on earth! I took a deep relaxing breath and tried to compose myself before I entered. I turned the knob of the door and walked inside.


	5. Chapter 4

I laid there quivering in front of him. I was laid down, spread-eagled on the silk bed sheets with my hands tied to together by his tie. Tom kneeled in front of me, teasing my hot wet sex with his glorious member. He gently stroked my swollen clit and pressed down on my opening with his tip, applying pressure on me every time he stroked. I felt burning hot anticipation growing in my groin "Had enough, my pet?" he breathed hoarsely "No sir. I want more" I whispered. "You dirty little girl, I'm going to make you beg for my touch and I will only give you release when I see fit." He hissed. He reached up and grabbed my bare breasts; he twirled his thumb over my nipples, kneading my chest softly. My nipples elongated at his touch and my skin started to tingle. I bit my lip to stifle a soft moan, and his eyes darkened some more and he leaned in to kiss me. He pressed his lips against mine gently but it soon became more passionate as he opened his mouth wider and slid his tongue into my mouth. His kisses became full of fervour and he started to nip down my neck. Every touch left a fiery trail on my skin. _If this lasts any longer, I'm going to lose it._ I could barely wait for him to finally satisfy my need and the heat between my legs became unrelenting, I took my legs and wrapped them around Tom's hips and grinded my hips into his to tell him what I wanted. I felt a low growl in the base of his throat and a smile form on his lips. Suddenly he sat up and his smile dissolved and was replaced with a serious face; he grabbed my hips and flipped me over. "Face down, Ass up" he barked. I immediately obeyed his command and for a second there was nothing, just silence; then the swat of a hard slap hit my behind "Ahh!" I yelped. He rubbed my sore behind then smacked me again and again, making me more wet each time. "That'll teach you." He growled, and slapped me again but this time between my ass and my sex. I bit my lip to silence my screams, I couldn't take it anymore. "Tom, please… Fuck me. Oh God please just fuck me!" I whimpered. With that he pushed himself into me with sudden force, he grunted loudly as he entered me from behind. I felt his hot cock start to fill my moist sex, I felt myself wrap tighter and tighter around him as he went deeper. I belted out a shuddery moan of relief, and then he grabbed my hips started to move. His thrusts were deep and hard, hitting my hilt every single time, he would start slow his thrusts then pick up the pace only to slow down again, it was maddening. Tom started to pick up the pace, his thrusts became even harder and he breathed hoarsely through his clenched teeth, he was reaching his peak. His pace got quicker and quicker and I started to feel myself building and rising, our panting became unified in pace and I knew we were to our end. "Come for me baby, I want to feel your release." He panted between thrusts, and that was my undoing. My toes curled, my back arched and I lay clinging to Tom's shoulders for dear life. I felt like my entire world became like a floating dream around me and I was falling, back into reality. I plopped back down on the bed in an exhausted heap. Tom soon found his release as he stilled, grunted and moaned until he finished and rested on top of me. We lay there panting for what seemed like forever. "Well, that was fun." Tom chimed and kissed my forehead gently.

I opened my eyes to find myself in my bed alone. I looked around; I was back at the hostel. The bed sheets were tangled between my legs and I was drenched in sweat. _Ugh, it was just a dream! _The room was still dark and I checked my alarm clock, it was 4 in the morning, I sighed then plopped back down on my bed. _I have to quit thinking like this! What happens when I see Tom?! Ugh, this is going to be so awkward…_ I scowled at myself and clamped my thighs together._ Anyways, it's not like it's actually going to happen... _After what seemed like forever, I drifted into a dreamless sleep.

I opened my eyes to the sun shining on my face, I checked my clock it was 10 am. I climbed lazily out of my bed and stretched my arms and legs and stepped into the shower. The warm water cascaded down my back and I felt calmer. _Today, I have to look extra special, its job hunting time!_ I washed my hair and body then dashed out the shower to pick my best and most impressionable outfit. I picked a black pencil skirt, a bright pink cami with lace embroidery at the top and a black blazer with some cute black flats with bowties on the toe. I put my hair up in a ponytail, brushed my teeth vigorously and headed down to the kitchen for a quick snack.

I came down the stairs and saw Hana bent over by the fridge looking for something to eat. "Morning Anya! Slept well?" She asked. "Yea, I slept great thanks." I lied. Hana then gave me a mischievous smirk, "I heard your little endeavour last night, sounded like you had a good dream" she said then winked. My face flushed and heat rose to my cheeks. "How did you know?" I whispered "Oh, Anya, don't be embarrassed! It happens to the best of us! And you were moaning pretty loudly from your room" she chuckled. "Oh my god, Hana I'm so sorry that happened, God. This is so embarrassing!" I replied. "No biggie" said Hana she sat at the kitchen table and made us both a tea and chatted for a bit. "So, Anya what was up with you last night? You came in with a grin plastered on your face and then what happened last night…?" I blushed madly; I didn't realize I had been so obvious _Way to go, poker face. _I sighed in defeat and told her everything about my meeting with Tom, and she sat and listened to me intently. When I was done, there was a moment of silence. "That is so fucking cool!" She gushed "You are the luckiest girl in the world, who would've thought that would happen and on your second day in London! I'm so jealous; Tom Hiddleston is so damn hot!" We gushed for about half an hour then I had to head out to start my job hunting. "Anya, good luck today! And I wanted to let you know, if you need to talk I'm always here." Hana said. I nodded "Thank you, I appreciate it." I smiled warmly at her before I left out the door.

I took a taxi to town and was giddy with excitement. I hoped I would get a job today; I wanted to get money so I could redecorate my room. After a few hours of giving resumes to libraries, offices and hotels, I stopped at a cozy pub called Finn's. I went to the bar and sat on the bar stool. An older fellow came over with a smile on his face "What will it be dear?" he asked "Umm, I'll have a coke please." I said. He went to get my drink and I sighed. _Finding a job will be harder than I thought._ The man returned with my coke and a thin white straw, with a look of concern etched on his face. "What's with the long face darling?" I sighed. "Well, I've spent all day looking for a job and so far… I've had no luck." There was a moment of silence as the bartender processed the information finally, he said "Well if you'd like, you could work here. We're a barmaid short and I think you would be a wonderful addition to the team." My face automatically lit up at the sudden turn of events. "Are you sure? You haven't even seen my resume yet and you don't even know me." I said incredulously. "I can tell you're one of a kind, it's a gift I seem to have and in you my dear, I see a great person inside and out." He said sincerely. I clasped his hand in a generous handshake "Don't worry sir, I won't let you down! And thank you for your kindness!" I exclaimed "My name's Finnegan but you could call me Finn. And you are?" asked the bartender. "Anya, My name is Anya Boride." "Well Anya, arrive here at 8 am tomorrow and we'll get started." With my hand clasped into his, he bent down and kissed the back of my hand "Until next time, Anya" he said finally before tending to other customers. I left the bar with my head reeling, I started the day with no job and no hope and now, I finally got a job! It was not the greatest job but hey, I am not one to be fussy. I then took the "tube" out of town and took a taxi back to the hostel. As I sat in the cab, I felt a feeling of warmth and happiness. _Things are starting to fall together._


	6. Chapter 5

I reached the hostel near evening and came in to see everyone gathered in the dining area for dinner. "Oh, Anya you're here! There's a plate set up for you in the oven love," said Jillian. I thanked her and got my plate. Looks like I was having turkey fillet, mashed potatoes and veggies tonight. I sat at the table next to Hana and Sahara and I told them about my day while we ate. "Oh, Anya that's great you get to work in a pub! You'll get to see all the young chaps." She winked and I blushed slightly. "So, Hana and Sahara where do you guys work?" I asked, Sahara answered first. "Well, I got my job within a week of being here and I work at a music store, we sell instruments and records. It's quite a fun place to work."

"Yea and I work at a fancy hotel as a concierge!" Hana chimed in. "Its loads of fun when some bugger isn't complaining about his room." She rolled her eyes then giggled. We sat at the table long after dinner was done and talked. It was great how fast I had made friends but halfway through our conversation I realized I haven't called to see my family and friends back home. "Hey, if you'll excuse me guys I'm going to head to my room. Nighty night." I said as I stood from the table and walked backed to my room. "Alright, we'll if you need us Sahara and I will be in my room!" Hana called as I walked up the stairs. I jumped into my bed and turned on my laptop, and I skyped my parents. "Hey, Anya! How is it going in London sweetie? Is it raining? I heard it rains a lot in London." My mother sounded excited to see me. Looking at my mother's face gave me a sense of relief; I did not realize how much I missed her already.

"Hey, mom! I miss you so much and no, it hasn't started raining yet but I'll let you know."

"So Anya, any cute British boys you run into yet?"

I blushed madly "Well no, not yet."

"Don't worry dear; your time will come soon. One day a boy will come and sweep you off your feet!"

I started to giggle, I wanted to tell her about Tom but I was scared of how she would react so I decided to keep my mouth shut. We talked for about an hour until she had to put my baby sister to bed, I waved at her goodbye and decided to message my friends back home. "OH MY GOSH, ANYA!" Lisa screeched and I winced. Even when I was on a different continent, I could still hear her voice piercing my ears.

"Sweetie, me and the gang have missed you so much! How was your flight?"

"It went pretty well I presume I slept the entire way" I replied sarcastically

We talked for a few hours but I didn't tell her about Tom either, I felt guilty for hiding it from her but I knew it would be best if I didn't say anything. After my recap with my life back home, I sighed and closed my computer. I lay on my bed and stared at the ceiling with a million thoughts racing through my mind. I thought about my life here in London, about myself but mostly about Tom. He was all I could think about, his gorgeous curls, his deep blue-green eyes and that grin, the grin that could light up anyone's day. I ached to see him again, to talk to him, I wanted to know what he was like and I wanted him to see me for who I am. In the back of my mind, I imagined that we would fall in love and picnic on a prairie mountain with chardonnay and a basket full of fresh strawberries. I sighed heavily; it was foolish of me to think that something like that was even possible but still, a girl could only dream.

I heard a soft rap on the door and it slowly creaked open, Hana then poked her head inside.

"Are you busy?"

"Nope, I was just sitting here. Thinking about things."

"Oh good, because I wanted to talk to you"

"Oh?" I questioned

Hana opened the door wider and let herself into my room; she turned to close the door silently then walked towards me to sit next to me on my bed.

"So, I wanted to ask for some advice"

"Alright what is it?"

She sat down next to me on the bed then sighed.

"Well, a few days ago, I met this great guy at my work. He was a customer looking for a hotel room so I helped him find his room then chatted up with him for a bit. We got along really well and he wants to meet up for coffee." I sat up and looked at Hana. "Hana, that's great news! What do you need my advice for?" _Jeez, this girl's love life sounds better than mine does._ "Well Anya, here's the thing… he wouldn't tell me his name or his personal information, he just said come with him for coffee and we could get to know each other. I want to go with this man but I hardly know him! And he's also an _older_ man." My jaw dropped, that I did not see coming. I took a deep breath and tried to process the information Hana gave me. I cleared my throat "Umm, well how do you feel for this man?"

"Well, we haven't really talked much, but gosh Anya, do I feel a connection! He's so witty and he makes me blush like mad. He's so mysterious but so alluring, I want to get to know him but I'm scared, maybe he won't like me or he might get bored of me and his age is a factor too! If I do see him, people will think I`m a wretched gold digger! " I never seen Hana so wound up in the short time that we`ve met, she always seemed so confident and like she had everything under control. This person must be special to wind her up so tight.

"Well if you really like this guy, go have coffee with him. What's the harm in coffee? You might realize he's not for you or if he's actually interested but just promise me this Hana, don't go too deep alright? You don't know this person so well so take things slow, if there are any problems you can come straight to me alright? No ifs, ands or buts. If this man becomes suspicious, you will tell me and I will kick his sorry little ass!" I said with a playful smile on my lips while shaking my tiny fist. Hana laughed hysterically "Aww little Anya, what am I going to do with you?" she hugged me and took my hand into hers. "I promise you, I will let you know everything… your my mate now so I have to!"

"Oh I am? Cool!" I beamed. I now have an Australian mate, awesome.

"Alright, so what's up with you and Mr. Hiddleston? Did you have a naughty yet?" Hana asked with a lustful wink

I blushed then cackled madly "Not even close! I have yet to hear from him"

"Well, you can't blame the man, he's a celebrity … those people are always busy. Hey, at least you got to meet him!" "Yea..." I replied. I plastered on a smile but my heart was sinking. This always happened, I get an opportunity and then like that, it's gone. I could never catch a break, I feel like the odds will always be against me and no matter how hard I tried, I will never truly get my happy ending. Hana looked at me quizzically, I smiled to try to reassure her but she wasn't buying it.

"You miss him don't you?" Hana inquired. My eyes shifted around the room, avoiding her gaze

"No I don't!" I huffed incredulously, I looked at Hana and she still didn't look convinced.

"Look, I believe things happen for a reason. That is why we do the things we do or experience the things we do and you girl, boy, does life has plans for you. Something special is going to happen I could feel it!"

I smiled sheepishly "Thanks Hana, I hope you're right." I sighed. I was so tired of being alone; all my friends had boyfriends, all through high school and college. I was always the odd one out, people even started to think I was a lesbian because I didn't have a boyfriend. "So Hana…" I interjected to try to change the subject. "Tell me more about your mysterious new beau," I said playfully. It was enough to make Hana's face of concern evaporate into a cheery grin. She went on and on about this person. How hot he was, how suave he was and how big his hands were "if I knew what she means". This person must've made an impression on this girl because when she talked about him, she glowed. She was utterly elated. As she spoke, I listened to her carefully and tried to push my thoughts about Tom and my crappy love life away from my conscious mind. We talked for hours finally, I checked my alarm, and it was two in the morning.

"Jeez look at the time! We should get to bed; I have my first day of work in the morning at 8." I said. Hana hugged me goodbye and walked towards the door, she slowed at the entrance of my room and turned towards me.

"Anya?"

"Hmm?"

"You shouldn't make yourself sick by worrying about Tom; you never know what will happen. Just wait and see what lies for you" I smiled "Thank you Hana, goodnight." I said warmly. She smiled, nodded, and left my room after closing my door softly. As soon as Hana left, my exhaustion that I had put off during my discussion with Hana had hit me like a freight train. My last thought before my consciousness faded was Tom's beautiful face staring at me; I fell asleep as my head reached the pillow.

I awoke to the sound of Coldplay's Clocks playing softly on my alarm radio clock. My eyes fluttered open, I got out of bed and showered and dressed for work. I came down the stairs and made myself a cup of tea and a piece of toast. The house was dead quiet; I guess everyone either was still sleeping or already headed to work. I arrived to Finn's pub with a skip in my step, I was excited for my first shift and I couldn't contain my happiness. I opened the doors and walked towards Finn who was talking to a few waiters with his back to me, I gently tapped his shoulder and he turned around. "Anya, welcome! You're early for your shift. I like that! Come, let me show you around then I'll give you your uniform." First, Finn showed me to the back where the kitchen was, the place looked relatively clean. The floor was tiled a reddish color and everything was made of stainless steel, the walls were painted a musky dark green it gave the place somewhat of a comfortable feel. One of the staff members tending the stove looked at me and smiled, he looked like the cook. I returned his smile and waved shyly. Finn suddenly turned towards me "Now that you got to know the place let me explain what you'll need to do. Every morning you come in, you will serve for the breakfast times then I'll have you working at the bar from noon until the end of your shift. Is that alright with you?" I nodded. "That's perfect." Finn smiled warmly, the lines on his face crinkled as he did so. "Well, I guess that leads to just your uniform yeah?" He led me to his office. It was small and there were papers everywhere, He had a large desk facing the door with a piece of clothing on top of it. "Here we are, you just have to wear the shirt, and it's a size small. Your shift starts in 10 minutes." He said as he picked up the shirt and gave it to me. He sat down at his desk chair and started working on his papers. "Thank you Finn, I won't let you down sir" I said and turned to go change in the bathroom. I liked Finn, he was a kind soul but when work had to be done, he was all business. I looked at my new work shirt, it was simple enough, it was a picture of the pub with the lights on and silhouettes of a crowd enjoying a good night with beers in their hands. Over the picture was the restaurant name "Finn's" in gold letterings. I changed out of my tee and slipped on my work shirt.

The first few hours of my shift were a bit tricky, I had trouble deciphering what people were saying because of their accents, I got one order wrong and a woman called me a stupid wanker. After a while, I got a hang of it after the breakfast rush was over, the crowd seemed much easier. Funny enough, it was easier for me to do bartending than it was being a server. People mostly ordered Guinness and all I had to do was pour it out from the fountain and keep my counters clean. The hours of my shift breezed by, as I was cleaning some of the glasses I heard someone sit on the barstool behind me. I turned my head slightly towards the person "What will it be fellow?" I sounded like one of those cheesy bartenders that were partially your therapist as well as your alcohol supplier, wiping the counter as I gave wise words of wisdom. I heard a chuckle and a deep voice "I'll have a pint of Guinness please." I stopped cleaning my glasses and froze, every muscle locking into place. That voice, it sounded so familiar, smooth, deep and extremely sexy. I turned around and my eyes bulged out in reaction, my heart started beating madly and I only now realized I had been holding my breath the whole time "Tom?" I breathed.

There he was. Tall, beautiful and perfect Tom. He looked up, cocked his eyebrows up in surprise, smiled, and ran a hand through his hair "Well, hello to you too." He said bashfully._ Jeez! It's Tom! Right here in front of me! Oh my god what do I do? Well maybe you should say something you idiot instead of gaping at him like a fish!_ I quickly snapped back into reality. "Uh, let me get your drink!" I took a glass and speed walked to the drink fountain with my shaking hands and filled the cup with the black malt. I shaking furiously, I was amazed at the fact that I did not drop the cup yet. I placed the cup in front of Tom as gently as I possibly could and looked at him as he took the glass with his manly yet slender hand and lifted it to his gorgeous lips.

"Hmm, good drink. So what brings you here Anya?"

"Well I was looking for a job and I got hired here"

"That sounds wonderful and oh, I'm so sorry I haven't messaged you Anya... I feel terrible about it but I've been so busy."

I smiled and a small sense of relief came over me._ At least he didn't bail on me. _"That's alright; I've been pretty busy myself. Anyways, what brings you here?"

Tom smiled timidly "I'm not really supposed to tell people this but I just came back from filming my new movie "Thor: The Dark World" and usually I make it a ritual that I go to the pub after a long day of shooting. Therefore, I came to this pub and sat down to have a drink. I was surprised when I got to see your lovely face again." I blushed from head to toe at his unexpected compliment.

"Oh! Well it was a lovely surprise to see you as well." I said as I laughed awkwardly. He chuckled then fixed his t-shirt. "I'll be right back Tom," I said as I realized I had been ignoring impatient customers who were waiting on their drinks. When I finished up with them, I went back to cleaning the glasses. I looked up at the reflection of the glasses to see Tom looking at me suggestively and licking his lips. I could feel the warmth rise up on my face and every hair on my body stand up._ Whoa._ I turned around to get Tom's empty glass and saw him quickly avert my gaze.

"Are you done with that?"

"Yes."

I took his glass and turned to go wash it.

"Anya?" he called

"Yes?"

"When does your shift end?" he asked. I checked my watch "I ought to end in about 10 minutes" Tom looked at me and smiled his famous smile._ Man, that boy could win an award for with that smile. _ "Can I treat you to dinner? It's the least I could do for not texting you." He asked. I smiled from ear to ear and tried to hide my uncontrollable excitement, this was quite the unexpected surprise. "Sure Tom, I would love that." I finished the last of my duties and got ready to leave. "I won't be too long."

"I'll be waiting" he called as I turned around to change out of my work clothes. I looked at the bathroom mirror and gasped in horror. I was wearing black yoga pants with a stain on the leg and an ugly ordinary shirt. This was no way to dress when going to dinner with a celebrity, especially not with someone as gorgeous as Tom Hiddleston was. I quickly tried to fix up my clothes and put a thin layer of lip gloss. I came out from the back room and greeted Tom from his seat; he looked up at me and grinned. "Ready?" he asked. I took a deep breath to prepare for was coming next, dinner with the most beautiful human being on earth. "Of course" I replied and we exited the pub together.


	7. Chapter 6

Tom and I walked on the cement sidewalk, the fall weather felt just right. The sun was setting but still left some warmth in the air while the wind blew coolly against my cheeks. It was cold but not too cold. I looked at the trees with their red and golden leaves falling off their branches, dancing with the wind as they floated gently down to the floor. It was so beautiful. As I walked I could smell the delightful aromas of restaurants around me, the smell of baking bread and home cooked food invigorated my senses. I watched the people as I passed them by, some looked like they were in a hurry, probably to make it home for dinner while others walked on the cobblestone road slowly and leisurely, experiencing every moment with such serenity like as if today were their last day. I smiled at myself and glanced up at Tom, he walked beside me with such elegance it made me feel so clumsy being next to him._ Still, you are the luckiest fucker on the planet to be where you are right now._ For once, I agreed with the voice inside me and enjoyed the moment. Tom had his gaze in front of us, looking for a place to grab a meal finally; he caught me daydreaming, looked down at me and smiled compassionately. That alone made my heart melt and my knees weak.

"I hope you're hungry, we're approaching the place in a few minutes. It's right up the corner." Tom said

"Yes I am actually." I replied. To be honest, I was starving. I had not eaten anything since lunchtime and that was just a measly cheese sandwich. However, I didn't want Tom to think of me as a raging eating monster so; I tried to keep my composure as sophisticated as possible. We walked together in comfortable silence, not saying a word but I knew that I was enjoying his company and he was enjoying mine. Within a few minutes like Tom said, we reached a restaurant around the corner of the street. The door was framed by white wood and a blue door was at its front. The window next to the door showed, people socializing and eating merrily. I looked at the name on the front of the building; it was called Coco's in white cursive lettering and a coffee cup taking the place of the comma. _Clever._ Tom stepped ahead of me to open the door, like the absolute gentleman he was known to be. I smiled shyly at him and walked through, a waiter greeted us immediately and Tom had said something to him the waiter then smiled "Alright that could be arranged. Now please follow me to your seats"

We followed the man to a booth to the back corner of the restaurant_. Why would he put us all the way back here?_ We both sat down and the waiter gave us our menus and left.

"I apologize for being seated so far away but I didn't want to be interrupted so now, you have my undivided attention."

I blushed madly at his comment._ Tom wants some alone time with me? Why would he even be remotely interested in me? _ I drummed my fingers nervously on the table, thinking of something to say_, _Tom looked at me with some sort of admiration. I had to fight myself to not just sit there and stare at his beautiful face. Anxiously, I cleared my throat and decided to get the ball rolling.

"So, what brought you to do acting? You seem to have such a natural talent for it."

Tom laughed and scratched the side of his face.

"Well, my interest for acting grew when I was around 12 years old, while my parents were going through a divorce. It was troubling for me so acting was my sort of escape and I fell in love with it." I looked at Tom while he was telling me about his career and smiled warmly at him. He had such a passion for his profession and it made me so happy to see him so enthusiastic. For someone who grew up rich and privileged, he seemed so hardworking and humble which made me like him even more. He rambled on for what seemed like forever but I didn't mind. The sound of his voice was so soothing and sexy and I loved learning more about him. He told me about his mother and two of his sisters Emma and Sarah. After a while, he paused and a look of embarrassment went across his face.

"Oh, Anya I'm so sorry, I've been rambling on for so long! Please tell me more about yourself."

Now that it was my turn to speak my mouth felt suddenly dry and heavy, I had no idea what to say. My life couldn't compare to the never boring Tom. I had to think of something quick and witty to keep him interested enough in me. _So what do you plan to do genius? _I pushed my negative thoughts behind me.

"Well what do you want to know?" I asked light-heartedly

Tom stared at me with a small smile on his lips. "Everything."

I swallowed hard "Ok. My name's Anya, I was born in Montreal and I have no idea what to talk about. Happy?" I responded sarcastically. Tom laughed his tell-tale eheheh and looked at me challengingly.

"Alright then, I'll start." He rubbed his stubbly chin "What your favourite food? Mine's pudding if you didn't already know."

"Mine's pasta, preferably fettuccine alfredo"

"What's your favourite color?"

"Purple and blue, I love them because they're so calming and serene."

"I like Green."

I giggled like a little schoolgirl and Tom giggled with me. I sigh a breath of relief; Tom was making this much less awkward than it should have been. His enthusiasm to get me involved me made me feel relaxed and more confident. Slowly with Tom's coaxing questions, I came out of my shell and started to have a substantial conversation. Halfway through dinner we were laughing like old friends, we told each other stories and laughed until tears pricked our eyes. Towards the end of the dinner as we had a cup of tea, Tom looked up at me sincerely and smiled intently. I blushed from head to toe from his intense glare.

"You know Anya; I haven't been able to really click with someone as well as you. I like talking with you; you make me feel less like a movie star and more like a normal person."

My face turned crimson, he was so amazing I could not even fathom how I could ever have such or even any effect on him.

"Jeez Tom, I didn't know I had such an effect on you" I said shyly my eyes drifting downwards my dwindling fingers on my lap.

He chuckled, took his hand put it under my chin, and raised my face so that our eyes would meet.

"But, you do darling. Seriously."

We looked into each other's eyes for a moment and I got lost once again in those gorgeous blue-green eyes. Without realizing, I started to grin like a fool and he grinned foolishly back.

I heard someone clear their throat; I practically had to tear my eyes away from Tom to see our waiter standing next to our table impatiently._ Whoops._ "Here's your bill." Tom and I realized our awkward moment and we both looked at the waiter apologetically.

"I'm so sorry, thank you for the bill." Tom muttered. The waiter gave a dry but polite smile and walked away. Tom and I looked at each other, and then we bursted out in laughter.

"Well that was awkward." I muttered

"I'll say." Tom agreed.

Tom paid for our meal and I left a good-sized tip for the waiter for having to endure such an awkward moment.

We walked together down the street; I had my arm locked around his arm so that I wouldn't lose him in the crowd. He looked down at me and started to giggle like a hyperactive child, his hand flew to his mouth trying to hide his laughter.

"What's so funny?" I questioned curiously.

He snorted. "Nothing, it's just that you're so bloody small, I didn't realize until now. How tall are you exactly?"

"Hey! Look who's talking about height issues, Asgardian Giant!" I exclaimed defensively, I pushed him playfully and we both started to cackle with laughter.

"No but seriously how tall are you? I need to know," he inquired

I sighed in defeat; he was going to keep asking until I told him.

"Promise you won't laugh?" I looked at him sceptically.

"Scout's honour." He said while crossing an x over his chest.

"Well, last time I went to the doctor… she told me I was 5 feet tall." I looked up at Tom to see his reaction. His eyes slightly widened and he fought back a smile, but he lost that battle and started to double over in laughter. Normally, I would have lost patience by now because of all the wise cracks I've heard about my height but I could never be mad at Tom. He was just too god damn cute to be mad over. I giggled along with him until he finally regained his composure.

"I'm sorry darling, I promised I wouldn't laugh but, I've never heard of someone being that small."

"Yeah, it's kind of a curse I guess." I looked down at my feet, feeling awkward and embarrassed.

"Well, I think you are the most elegant creature I've ever met and your small frame suits you rather well. I think it's very cute."

My heart melted at his words and a shock went through my heart and resided in my stomach. It glowered into sizzling heat into my lower stomach to and finally to _down there._ I let out a breath I had no idea I was holding in and looked at Tom bashfully.

"You're so kind for a Frost Giant." I teased. Tom smirked at me and we walked down silently for a few minutes.

"Shit." Tom looked at his watch with a slight frown on his face. "It's getting late; I have to be on set in the morning. Would you like to get you a ride?"

My heart sank; my mini date with Tom was ending. "Sure, of course." Tom picked up his phone and dialled a number; he spoke quietly to someone on the phone. We sat at a nearby bench while waiting for this ride, the warm autumn air had now turned cool and the sky had turned into a shade of dark blue. I looked at Tom sitting next to me and I smiled to myself, his legs were splayed widely and I saw the infamous bulge between his legs, this man could not sit properly and who could blame him? _God, that thing is huge… I wonder what…_ I pushed my naughty thoughts behind me, scowling at my inner person for thinking like that. _Shut up you pervert. _Tom had his arm along the back of the bench looking out onto the water nearby, his gaze then turned towards ocean blue eyes looked deeply into mine and I swear I could see the tension in them. He looked as if he was having some inner conflict with something but his resistance couldn't hide the look of lust and desire that was evident in those eyes. His glare was so intense, I bit my lip nervously .That look made me want to rip off all his clothes, lick, kiss and nip him from head to toe and fuck him right there on that bench. I clenched my legs tightly together and tried to forget the slight moistening of my panties.

"We must go to the museum next time Anya, you'd love it. It is full of beautiful artistry and maybe we could go watch a Shakespearean play? I remember you having a book on Shakespeare, am I correct?"

Breaking out of my trance, I nodded remembering the books I bought the day I met Tom. It was a book filled with all of Shakespeare's sonnets. "I love museums! I would love to see a play; I've always been fond of Shakespeare's work even in high school." I gushed. A car pulled up beside us, it was a black Mercedes and it looked quite large. Tom stood up and opened the door, he used his other hand to gesture me in.

"After you?"

"Wow, such a gentleman" I joked, I took his hand as he led me into the vehicle and he followed behind me inside. He sat next to me in the car; leaned forward to say the directions to his driver then relaxed next to me. He leg brushed lightly against mine, I felt a jolt go through my whole body, and my heart hammered in my chest. He was so close and he smelled so good… like fresh linen and aftershave. I looked down at my feet; they were barely touching the floor while Tom's legs looked as if they could go on for miles. I felt bad for him, to be that big it must be uncomfortable sometimes. Suddenly feeling brave and spontaneous, I innocently put my hand lightly on his leg, my fingers gently caressing his inner thigh and turned towards him acting as if I was not aware of what I was doing. "So when can I see you again?" I gave him my brightest smile. His body tightened instantly and he took in a quick, sharp breath, he closed his eyes then shook his head lightly, he opened them and then looked at me but with some sort of strain in his face. I felt heat radiating off his body and could feel the tension growing. My own body temperature kicked up a few degrees and I started to breathe heavily. Tom looked down at my hand, put his hands over mine and took it off his leg. My playful and happy mood instantly evaporated.

"I'm not sure when we can meet, my schedule is quite busy but as soon as I'm free I will contact you." Looking suddenly detached, he clenched his jaw and looked away from me, out towards the window.

I felt both baffled and mortified; I was rejected once again. _Ugh, what a great move Anya, you probably scared him off! Well, there goes any chance of seeing him again._ I felt my heart sinking and my body felt numb. I was stupid, why would I invade Tom's privacy like that? Assuming that he might have liked me back but as usual, he doesn't. The people I like never do. I looked out the window to hide my blushing face and to try to suppress my tears. I tried to distract myself long enough so I could leave Tom's presence before completely crumbling into a million pieces. We rode the car in awkward silence, looking at anything but each other. We pulled up in front of the hostel and Tom let me out of the car and walked me to the door. "Well I guess I'll see you soon then." He leaned down to kiss my cheek but I dodged him at the last minute, looking away from him. He looked at me in confusion; I had to bite my lip to fight back tears. We locked eyes in that moment and he saw the tears threatening to spill over. He looked at me with a look of pure agony and opened his mouth to say something. "Goodnight Tom." I whispered then I quickly opened and closed the door behind me before he could say a word to me. I had my back to the door and heard Tom's footsteps as he turned and walked back to his car and the sound of tires rolling down the street. "Anya, are you ok? What has that bloke done?" Hana said as she noticed me from the dinner table. She walked over to me and looked me in the eyes, I opened my mouth to say something but my body gave in as I sank to the floor, my body quivering as I sobbed uncontrollably unable to contain myself any longer.


	8. Chapter 7

I sat on the floor cross-legged with my head in my hands. I was in my room crying my eyes out. I would cry to the point where I thought no tears would come but they always did. They were tears of sadness, disappointment, anger, frustration and desperation. Every time Tom entered my mind, I would cry even harder. Hana and Sahara were sitting by my side waiting for me patiently to recover. Finally, I caught my breath and looked up at them. They looked at me with concern. "I'm sorry guys, I know you didn't plan for your night to be like this." I wiped my nose unceremoniously on my sleeve.

"Anya don't be daft, we're your mates. That's what we're here for." Hana said. Sahara nodded along smiling. My heart welled inside my chest. I loved the fact that even though I didn't know these girls for very long, they had my back. With them, I felt less alone and less far away from home. I smiled warmly, feeling tears well up in my already puffy eyes. "Thank you, girls." We all embraced each other tightly for what seemed like a long time then we let go and the girls looked at me sombrely. "So, what the hell happened?" the girls asked in unison. I sighed, knowing what was coming next. Eventually, my tears would dry and I would have to spill the beans. "I ran into Tom at work, he brought me to dinner and everything was great. I thought we had a mutual connection and everything was going well so I figured I would try to make a move and I got rejected." I admitted solemnly. "But it's really… it's just the fact that I'm so tired of being alone. All my life, I've been rejected and ostracized by any guy I've been attracted to." My body and voice started to shake. "Do you know what it feels like to always sleep alone, to have no one to tell you they love you or hold you? Do you know what it feels like to come home crying every night wondering what the fuck is wrong with you? To see everyone happy and full of bliss and you're the only miserable one?" The tears began to fall down my cheeks and I felt a burning hole inside my chest. "Everyone and I mean everyone, has someone but why not me? Did I do something wrong? Why can't I be happy like everyone else? I did nothing to deserve this! It's just not fucking fair." I curled myself into a ball; it was the only thing keeping me from collapsing into sobs again. We sat in silence, the girls stunned and my heart now felt like a heavy dead thing in my chest and my body started to feel numb. I wanted to sleep, badly. I just wanted to crawl into my cocoon of covers on the bed and sleep forever; everything was so much easier in your dreams. "Anya darling I'm so sorry, you poor angel." Sahara scooted over towards me and squeezed me closely. "Yea, Sahara's right. You don't deserve any of this, love. If I see that smuck I'm going to deck him in the face." Hana exclaimed. I chuckled at the thought. "I don't think that's necessary Hana, other than what happened tonight, he's a really great man. I guess it just wasn't meant to be." The girls looked at me sadly and Hana opened her mouth to speak. "I'm sorry to cut this short but I'm really tired and I have work in the morning. Can we talk later?" I interrupted . The girls looked worried but nodded their heads in agreement and reluctantly got up. They hugged once more and Hana whispered in my ear "Don't worry dear. Things will get better, they always do." They closed the door behind them and went to their rooms. As soon as they left, I realized that all this crying made me exhausted. I lazily got up and trudged to my bed. I yanked back the covers and slid inside and I wrapped the covers around me enveloping myself in the warm and soft comforters. I laid my head on the pillow and tried not to think too much, about what had happened. I felt my body start to shut down both physically and emotionally, and then drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.

The alarm blared its usual noise, and I smacked the snooze button. I glared at the clock, it was seven in the morning and I had to head to work for nine, I groaned miserably. _Ugh, I don't want to get out of bed today, let alone work. This is going to suck._ I dragged myself out of bed, shuddering when the cool air hit my skin. I got up and staggered to the shower, every body part felt limp and tired. I looked in the mirror and groaned at the ugly girl looking back. My curls were a mess, I had bags under my eyes and my usual caramel chocolate coloured skin now looked sickly with a yellowish tint. I exhaled deeply and got into the shower, the warm water helped me feel slightly more alive. I finished my shower and went to get dressed, I looked outside my window and saw the sky was dull and grey, making me feel even more depressed ._Better bring the umbrella then._ I came down the stairs and walked past the kitchen, my appetite non-existent. I walked out the door and towards the bus station down the street; I popped in my headphones and turned on my IPod. I scrolled through some songs and picked a song that would fit my mood. "I'll be OK by Sondre Lerche. Seems fitting." I said sarcastically at myself. I put the song on and went to work. The ride to work was long and gruelling, I felt like I was in a dark cloud and I couldn't escape the gloom and isolation. People surrounded me but had no face or life to them, I felt cold and lifeless just waiting for the time to past so I could go back to my bed. I went into Finn's and started my shift. I tried to appear as though nothing was wrong but I couldn't help falling into a haze every now and then, there were even moments when impatient customers had to snap me out of it so I could give them their drink. On my lunch break, Finn came to visit me. "Hey doll, can we talk?" I nodded and he grabbed a stool and sat next to me. "Some customers have been complaining about your service. Now, I know you can do better than this. Whatever you're going through, you have to put it aside ok? This is the workplace and no one wants a pint from a miserable maiden." He smiled at me, the wrinkles around his eyes becoming more evident. I smiled timidly back at him and he wrapped his arm around me giving me a fatherly rub on the back. Finn got up and went back to his office to file some paperwork. I continued eating my lunch when Tom came back into my mind; I honestly couldn't figure this guy out. I thought he liked me, he complimented me constantly and asked me to go to dinner with him then he turned a whole 180 on me. Was it something I said? Maybe I misinterpreted this whole thing, maybe he was just being friendly. I mean, what would a British actor want with someone as simple as me? I've never been good at deciphering men anyway… I sat up straight and took a deep breath "Anya, you are a strong independent woman and no man is worth your tears, now get over it and move on! It's time to grow up." I whispered to myself under my breath. I took all my negative feelings about Tom, locked them away in my mind, hoping they would stay hidden and forgotten forever. I went back to work with ease, poking a hole through my dark cloud. I smiled and chatted with customers, my small memories of Tom stashed away from my consciousness and it made things a lot easier. My shift ended and I said goodbye to my co-workers and boss. I got my coat and walked down the street to the subway, the place was crowded with people coming and going in all different directions, rushing to get home. I crammed myself like a sardine in the subway car and it rolled down the track towards the way home. My phone buzzed in my pocket and I reached in to see it. I looked at the screen and I froze, my heartbeat piking to a frantic pace. The room started to get hot and stuffy and I suddenly felt claustrophobic and nauseated. It was a text from Tom. _What do hell does he want? Why is he texting me? Oh god, should I open it?_ I took several deep breaths to calm myself down and opened my phone to check the text.

_**Dear Anya,**_

_**I owe you an apology**_

_**I need to speak with you, privately. Can we meet up some time?**_

_**Sincerely, Tom**_

My heart stopped and my breath caught in my throat. My palms began to sweat and I was suddenly dying of heat. I looked at the screen for 10 minutes, a million thoughts racing through my mind. _Why is Tom texting me? Should I text him back? What would he possibly want to talk about?_ I stared at the text wondering to reply or not finally, I shut off my phone and shoved it back in my pocket. I returned to the hostel feeling completely torn and confused. Whenever I tried to forget about Tom, he came right back, it was unnerving. As I entered the hostel, I saw that Jillian made pasta for dinner. I sat at the table taking a plate with me when I notice that I hadn't seen Hana at the table. "Hey Jillian, where's Hana?" Jillian looked at me and chuckled. "Oh she's up in her room. She's been in there since she came back from work. I swear that girl came in shining like a star! She must've had a great day." I finished my dinner hurriedly and went to Hana's room. I knocked on the door and she opened it, immediately breaking into an enormous ear-splitting grin. "Anya! You're here finally!" She grabbed my hand and dragged me inside. "I have so much to tell you, it's about Mr. Mystery Man at the hotel." She winked. I smiled gleefully. "I'm listening, what happened?" I asked eagerly. She looked at me coyly "Well, I took your advice and I went to coffee with this man. Turns out, he is incredible! His name is Ben, he's never been married and he is just so amazing! He likes the music and movies I like, he likes the same food and he's so charming. He complimented me and listened to every word I said. I was having such great time and he wants to see me again!" Hana was gushing, her face slightly flushed and her skin glowing with excitement. "Wow Hana, that sounds great!" I exclaimed, "How old is he?"

"Well…" Hana stammered, her face grew red and she looked slightly frazzled. "He's in his forties but he is really a great guy!"

"Forty!" I shouted "Hana, that a huge age difference, aren't you like 22?" Hana cocked her eyebrow at me. "Excuse me missy, how old is Tom exactly?" Hana teased. My cheeks flushed and I looked around nervously then looked coquettishly at her. "Touché." Hana huffed triumphantly and we both burst into giggle fits.

"So what else about this Ben guy?" I teased. She smiled like a little school girl who was hiding a secret. "Well first off we talked about relationships. Ben said he has had many serious relationships but never married. He wants to marry and have kids sometime in his future. He said when he first saw me, he was 'enchanted by my beauty' and he wanted to get to know me. He said that he's been waiting for the perfect moment to talk to me for weeks. Oh god Anya, he's so good looking! He knew all the right things to say and the sexual tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife! When dinner was over, he kissed my forehead and told me until next time we would meet." She started to fan herself dramatically, gesturing how "hot and tense" it was got between her and Ben. I laughed at her enthusiasm; her good mood was making my day better. Hana then clapped her hands together "Now. Enough about me. How was your day?" she smirked. I sighed and pulled out my phone and gave it to her. She looked at me slightly confused then took the phone and looked down, her face turned from confusion to horror and then angry disgust. "AFTER ALL THIS BLOODY FUCK HAS DONE TO YOU, HE HAS THE AUDACITY TO CALL YOU SIX TIMES AND LEAVE 5 MESSAGES?" she bellowed. I looked at her in confusion "six? I thought he sent me one text?" I grabbed the phone and looked at the screen and low and behold there were six phone calls and five text messages. I was speechless. I stared at the screen, unsure what to do next or even how to react. I looked at Hana questioningly, hoping that maybe she would have an answer. "So Anya, what are you going to do?" she questioned. My heart started to beat faster as I looked down at my phone. In all honesty, I was terrified of all the possibilities. I wanted to see Tom again, to get an explanation from him, to give him a piece of my mind and a little part of me just wanted to see his radiant face again. "I don't know." I told Hana honestly. I really wasn't sure where to go from here. "What should I do?" I was desperate for Hana's advice. She was the blond Australian beach babe, she knew about guys. I didn't. I was just some girl from Canada. Hana forehead creased as she contemplated her answer, I sat beside her with my hands bunching together into tight fists. Finally, she spoke "Anya, how do you feel about this man?" I stuttered at her off hand question "uh, well. I... uh he's a good looking guy but y'know." My eyes were darting in every direction except Hana's. Hana glared at me earnestly "Anya you're lying. You can't even look me in the eye. I can see it in your eyes Anya, you may have fooled yourself but I can see it. You are not over Tom; you still feel for him and are still hurt by him. If it was me, I would leave this bloke by the curb but this is your choice, what do you want to do? Forget Tom forever or Give him one more chance?"

We sat in silence for a moment while I contemplated what I should do. I wanted to give Tom another chance but I was terrified of being rejected again. However, I also wanted answers as to why he rejected me in the first place. Maybe if I just see him once then I could move on with my life. Yes, just one meeting then I'll leave him hanging. I mean one meeting couldn't hurt right? "Well maybe I should give him one more chance? To explain himself at least?" I asked. Hana put her hand on my shoulder. "Whatever you choose mate, I will always follow you." I smiled and hugged her warmly. We hugged each other like lifelong best friends then giggled madly. "So…" I began looking down at my phone "what shall we send?" I inquired. Hana took my phone and looked through my messages. "Man, this chap sure wants to talk to you, he's practically begging you to answer your messages!" My face turned crimson and my skin tingled with anxiety. _Why is he so desperate to see me again?_ "You should be stern with him, show that celeb who calls the shots." Hana said jokingly. I took my phone back and finally wrote him a message back.

_**Dear Mr. Hiddleston,**_

_**You have your meeting. I will be free Friday night at 6pm. You can meet me at my workplace.**_

_**Considerately,**_

_**Anya.**_

"Woo, sassy bitch over here!" Hana exclaimed then burst into laughter. I joined her and we started high-fiving each other. "Shall I send it?" I asked, "You shall" Hana said. I hit the send button, and then anxiously turned off my phone hoping that he wouldn't reply. "I think we should celebrate with a drink." Hana chimed. We went downstairs and checked the wine cabinet; we took out a bottle of Rosé and two wine glasses. She poured us both a glass and we sat down at the table. Hana raised her glass in the air. "A toast, to women being in charge, to dating luxurious men in London and to being best mates." Hana's kindness was astounding, she has been the greatest friend since I arrived to London and I wouldn't know what I would do without her now that I have her. I smiled bashfully at her and rose my glass. "Cheers, to London." "Cheers" we said in unison. We clinked our glasses together and drank. It was one of the best nights I've had, in a long time.


End file.
